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Gov. Jay Inslee extended the statewide ban on indoor dining and the closure of gyms and fitness centers through Jan. 11, which moves the restrictions back to at least Jan. 11. Washington's case and hospitalization numbers have leveled off since Inslee's closure orders, but are higher than at any point before November.

You may want to accept your $600 relief check or more as a much-needed post-Christmas gift - even though the amount is roughly half of what the first round of stimulus checks provided. The relief/stimulus checks are already appearing in bank accounts for many Americans, The payments are part of a $900 billion pandemic relief package that was approved in Congress in December.

This current round provides $600 per adult in a household, and $600 per child, which is up from $500 in the spring but like the first round of stimulus payments, an age limit is in place and parents aren't getting the extra $600 for dependents who are 17 and older; and there is no cap on the number of children a household can claim.

The Lewis County Law and Justice Center was the place where citizens of Lewis County and visitors gathered to show their support for Spiffy's Restaurant. On Tuesday, December 29, 2020, Lewis County restaurant Spiffy's was given a continuance while Farm Boys in Maytown was slapped with Contempt of Court over being open by a Thurston County Judge.

On New Year's Eve, Lewis County Courthouse was the place where change was to occur. The new Lewis County Commissioners were sworn in to little fanfare but family and reporters.

Sean Swope was sworn in by Judge and Municipal Attorney Jim Buzzard with Buzzard and O'Rourke Law firm. Dr. Lindsey Pollock was sworn in by outgoing Commissioner Edna Fund.

Last week, there was another death in Pacific County attributed to the coronavirus.

As of Wednesday, December 30, 2020, Pacific County Health Department reported an additional 16 positive COVID-19 cases. This brings the total cases up to 576 since the start of the pandemic.

There are 29 active cases being monitored by public nurses. The current case rate per 100k over 14 days is 157.1.

The first COVID-19 vaccines went out and into arms last week. The Pacific County Health and Human Services partnered with Ocean Beach Hospital in Ilwaco and Willapa Harbor Hospital in South Bend to administer the vaccine.

Priority group 1a was the first to receive the vaccine during a drive-through event on Wednesday, December 30, 2020. This group consisted of local high-risk health care workers, and staff and residents of long-term care facilities, which followed along with the Washington State Department of Health guidelines.

Basically, anyone who has direct patient contact and is unable to telework. It is estimated that there are about 500 individuals in Pacific County that fall in the 1a group.

Pacific County received 975 doses of the Pfizer vaccine and 700 doses of the Moderna vaccine.